Feeling Safe in South Korea

I admitted to some friends a thought I have about going home to the U.S. - I'm really excited to get back and see the people I miss and to do the things I miss. It'll be happy to get back in a place where my daily struggles are more professional and creative rather than cultural and languagual (for lack of an actual word I can't think of right now). With all these imaginings and an animation about going home, I also have this idea that I could very well be shot and killed upon returning to America.

One of the girls laughed and said that the radical Koreans were getting into my head. Well, where are people getting shot dead at schools, convenience stores, movie theaters, and places of worship? Where are people walking around in public with loaded guns? It's not paranoia driving this idea, it's matter-of-fact reason. It is a reality, one that won't change how I go about each individual day (America isn't a war zone after all), but it will be a small adjustment in mind set from the one I have gotten to know, living in South Korea.

The tremendous sense of security I feel living in Korea has translated into this world of trust and reliability I've never experienced before. It hasn't taken away the token of worry but it has reinforced a world view and every day living that I didn't think could exist. Some small examples: as a young woman of the smaller size, walking home late at night, I have stopped feeling that tightness and rigid fear of being attacked. The thought is still there, but the instinct - the sixth sense I've learned to trust - is nearly gone. A couple more years of living like this and that expectation of violence might vanish for good.

Sunday Lipstick & Music

This past school week, from Monday, not including Wednesday, I was so tired. And I blame the five-day weekend I had last week because it was cruel to come back to work from that. By Friday, basically every teacher who would normally talk to me told me how exhausted I looked, and I tried explaining my theory as to why (5-day weekend) to my co-teacher multiple times with no success, which made me even more tired - *breath* - it's a good theory I think. He would've applauded it I know it.

I powered through and after my last class of the week, I sank down into my chair and turned up the volume on my computer for a listen to one of my favorites: 

And then this today: 

Dan Deacon: We Can't Stop 50% Reduction (Straight Chop Remix)

Say what you will, these are awesome, plus a coat of lipstick to finish out my weekend. 

Family Matters

Had a wonderful Google Hangout with my family this morning. My relationship with my family is sporadic. Living an ocean away from them this year has capitalized on that; we've had to poke each other with sticks a few times. It's given me practice up-keeping long distance relationships, a necessary life-skill after college. My inevitable sensitivity to the forms of correspondence, digital and letteral, reflects my hot-then-cold attitude towards people in general. But what I've begun to truly understand, from not being a fifty-minute car drive away from the most important people in my life, is unconditional love and support. They are the ones I can jab with a stick after an absence and who will subsequently smack back, pin me down, and let one rip.

And coming this summer, yes, six out of seven Nedeau-Owens will be in Korea! This is the first big family trip in a long time and I can't wait. One of my friends does a lot of traveling with her mom and we've talked about how nice it is to travel with family -- no pretending, I am mean and grumpy but also somehow delightful to be around. I'm probably going to cry when I see them. 

When I studied in France, my first conscious time abroad, I missed my family from an angle that surprised me. I was seeing and smelling and tasting and hearing and touching SENSING all these things I hugely wanted them to be there for. Just so I could say, "Mom, look! Dad, do you see? It's Notre Dame! It's the Eiffel Tower! It's Monet's Garden!"

I am extremely excited to be with them as they experience and react to South Korea. I am so curious to hear what they think, see how they process everything with what different perspectives they will bring. Korea holds a lot of weight in our family and it will be a happy trip if also at times difficult, angsty, and tiring. It's going to be FABulous!! Poke. Love you, family. 

Open Class Success

"Hello, beautiful children!" I exclaimed to our 4-2 class yesterday as they came piling into the English room. My co-teacher SK fell to her knees laughing with good humor because we had just finished 4-1 open class with the principal.

I didn't think that I was nervous for this open class, but I had a pretty terrifying dream the night before about the computers not working, then not being able to find the right Powerpoint, and then the principal walking around the classroom pointing at the plants I forgot to water. I guess I am nervous I thought on the walk to school. 

SK and I did less "planning" together than I have in the past with other co-teachers, which I felt fit our personalities. I do sometimes wish there was more communication, but we have a good system that was reinforced by the high praise from the principal. It felt so good to hear that we did a good job. I was very happy and relieved for SK, too. She's been scrambling for the past few weeks, more than usual -- this class meant a lot for her professionally. 

As soon as the principal left the room, the air was light and we let out high-pitched gasps of glee. YES. WE DID IT. The 3-2 teacher then came in to ask how it went. Good, good, very good! The kids were great and SK is a top-notch teacher, truly one of the best. All was well and our second 4th grade class was just as successful as the first. I felt energized the rest of the day from the feedback and recognition. 

It was days like yesterday that made me think I could stay here for another year. Yesterday was a happy day. And I'm reminded of my role, especially on the bad days, by my students. Earlier this week I was outside by the pond when one of the third grade students ran up to me. A huge bee suddenly appeared and we both quickly and cautiously backtracked. "Oh, I don't like bees. Bees angry," she said. She's not the most outspoken student in class and I hadn't really ever heard her speak English. "Ugg, I don't like bees either," and we swapped bug bite histories.  

Musée d'Orsay, Seoul

When Anne mentioned that she wanted to see the impressionist paintings that were visiting from the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, my memories flashed back to walking around in the Tuileries Garden and seeing Monet's "Water Lilies" for the first time. That was such a happy day - sunshine, good company, and beautiful artwork. Turns out I was remembering the Musée de l'Orangerie, but the Musée d'Orsay is on the opposite side of the Tuileries Garden, housing impressionist and post-impressionist work in the marvelously restored train station. That day, our super-intense-awesome tour guide Joelle led us through the museum. Equally happy day.

Joelle and the Louvre, Me and Candice with a lightpost

sprouting from our combined awesomeness

Anyway, the timing didn't work out for a couple of weeks, but we finally made it to the National Museum of Korea, where the impressionist paintings from France would be and will be displayed until August 31st. The exaggerated, poppy flower-lined stairway from the subway station to the museum prefaced the atmosphere up at the museum. Korea has this wonderful way of making everything delightfully comfortable. From convenience store straws for one's milk to the fancy coffee machines at most places of business to the lovely, motivational stationary, there is an overall feeling of ease and gentle thoughtfulness in Korea. 

Getting the Vote: Campaigning Observations in Korea

I've really enjoyed seeing all the color and enthusiasm as Election Day draws near in Korea. June 4th is the big day and a couple of weeks ago I noticed a well-dressed man with a sash around his torso  standing on the corner of one of the busiest intersections in my city Icheon. Right by the bus terminal, I couldn't figure out what he was doing; he didn't have a bag or a suitcase and he was just standing there, arms straight at his side, waiting patiently. When the light changed and the traffic started rolling by, he began bowing. Deeper than the standard-everyday greeting bow, his bows lasted a few seconds. It is something I won't soon forget! "Oh, wow," I thought, "He's bowing to the drivers."

After School Club

I came into the new school year with three after school classes and a plan to focus on broadening vocabulary though the art and stories of children's book. I put together a "My English Notebook" for each of the after school club attendees, created worksheets and activities specific to each book, and established a sticker rewards system that they could track on the inside cover of the notebooks. With powerpoint versions of the books to display on the big touch screen, I was confident this was going to be awesome.

It was pretty clear by the second week that my plan had relied too much on their ability to focus that late in the afternoon. Combined with varying levels of English, extreme tardiness, and schedule changes, I abandoned the children's book lesson plan and opted for ABC and ABC phonics activities and English games - many of which I found here - that practiced the key phrases we were learning in our regular English classes.

Expressing Sewol

Thank You, Bus Drivers

The bus drivers here in Korea are cool, fearless, sometimes easily irritable, lay-on-the-horn type, and have a "I'm bigger than you" mentaility when driving. One of the city bus drivers I see more regularly has shocking white hair, wears aviators, and changes gears like he's flying a fighter jet. 

Red lights are optional and the bus drivers are, if possible, more anxious and impatient than the riders themselves to get where they need to go. Express buses to Seoul from my city, where seats are reserved (see below for online-iPhone reservation how to), leave the second the scheduled departure time rolls by. Leaving from Seoul, there's a great stand-by system that let people pay for seats of people who miscalculated their timing and don't get to the bus on time. When arrived at the destination, the express bus drivers stand outside the bus door and bow as each of us passengers get off. 

On the longer trips I've taken (to Busan and Seoraksan National Park), the bus driver has had a set of indoor driving shoes, driving gloves, and a suit and tie hanging behind his seat, you know, just in case. The level of professionalism and pride of ownership - I drive this bus - is so right. I've noticed in other places - taxis and public places like bathrooms and elevators - head shots of those in charge (the drivers, cleaners, operators and maintenance workers). It seems like a good system to me, one that says, "Hey, I'm here working and making life that much nicer for you." 

Doam Spring Sports Day

Happy Labor Day, all. I was thrilled to have a day off from work and even more excited to spend it outside at Doam with my co-workers and students. The weather today was sunny and cool, beckoning the track suits and visors of the abbreviated Sports Days.

I didn't write a post about Doam's Fall Sports Day, which was a full day of races, quirky games, whole-school choreographed dances, music, food carts, colorful decorations, and family onlookers. It was a big event, one of my favorite days in Korea. Because of the ferry, my second school's Sports Day was cancelled and Doam's Sports Day was significantly scaled back; absent were the dances, decorations, food carts, and flock of parents. There was only one big school relay race, otherwise small competitions (like dodgeball and jump roping) took place by grade in different sections of the playground yard. It was much less of an event and more a collective morning physical education class. Still great fun of course.